Hirtella glandulosa Spreng.

  • Authority

    Prance, Ghillean T. 1972. Chrysobalanaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 9: 1-410. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Chrysobalanaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Hirtella glandulosa Spreng.

  • Type

    Type. Sellow 44, Brazil, probably Espirito Santo, fl (holotype, B, lost; lectotype, G; isotype, fragment F), Sellow sn (probable isotype, LE).

  • Synonyms

    Hirtella wachenheimii Benoist, Hirtella velutina Pilg., Hirtella hookeri Pilg., Hirtella damaziana Beauverd

  • Description

    Description - Tree to 25.0 m tall, usually much smaller, the young branches tomentose, becoming glabrous and lenticellate with age. Leaves oblong to ovate, thick-coriaceous, 4.5-23.0 cm long, 2.5-11.5 cm broad, acuminate at apex, with acumen 2.0-5.0 mm long, rounded to cuneate at base, rarely weakly subcordate, hirsute beneath, the palisade glands rare, with slightly impressed venation above; primary veins 8-15 pairs, impressed above, prominent beneath; midrib prominulous above, prominent and hirsute beneath, petioles 1.5-5.o(-12.o) mm long, tomentellous, terete, eglandular. Stipules linear, 4.0-8.0 mm long, tomentellous, eglandular, persistent. Inflorescences terminal and subterminal panicles 9.0-26.0 cm long, the rachis and branches hirsute-tomentellous. Bracts and bracteoles ovate, coriaceous, persistent, pubescent, with numerous stipitate glands. Flowers 6.0-8.o mm long. Receptacle campanulate, puberulous on exterior, glabrous within except for deflexed hairs at throat; pedicels 1.0-3.0 mm long. Calyx lobes acute, puberulous on exterior, gray-pubescent within, the margins with stipitate glands. Petals 5, white, glabrous. Stamens 3-5, unilateral, with a few filamentous staminodes opposite them, the filaments far exceeding calyx lobes. Style hirsute on lower portion only. Ovary inserted at mouth of receptacle, pilose. Fruit round to pyriform; epicarp smooth, glabrous when mature; mesocarp thin, fleshy; endocarp thin, bony, densely hirsute within.

  • Discussion

    This species extends over a wide geographic range and, as might be expected, is rather variable in leaf shape. There is a tendency to larger leaves in the northern and northeastern part of the range. However, smaller leaved specimens have been taken there too, and there is a complete gradation in leaf size. Not only does this smooth variation fail to offer any basis for recognition of infraspecific taxa, but I have also observed in the field that leaf size is quite variable on the same tree. However, I find no grounds for maintaining H. hookeri, H. velutina, and H. wachenheimei as separate species, which represent the same species described from different parts of its range without adequate comparison.

    Hooker’s (1867) two unnamed varieties, based on inflorescence length and receptacle shape similarly cannot be recognized.

    Hirtella glandulosa has sometimes been confused with H. bullata, but the latter differs in the thicker more bullate leaves usually with cordate bases, the inflorescence with a long tomentose rachis bearing only small lateral branches, and the larger glands of the inflorescence which arise on the pedicels or are sessile on the bracts etc.

  • Common Names

    Bukotokon, Vermelhão

  • Distribution

    Damp forest in open places, mainly gallery forest, river banks, and savanna margins. Commonest in the Planalto of Central Brazil, but extending into the savannas of Amazonia and the Guianas.

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